Spouted container



June 16, 1936. c. o. CONNER ET AL SPOUTED CONTAINER Filed Oct/18, 1954 r1L .1. 281.9 29 2 I 14 J 2 29 INVENTORS Patented June 16, 1936 SPOUTEDCONTAINER Guy 0. Conner and Howard W. Karges, Wheeling, W. Va.,assignors to Wheeling Steel Corporation, Wheeling, W. 'Va., acorporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1934, Serial No. 748,8704 Claims. (Cl. 221-27) This invention relates broadly to spoutedcontainers, and more particularly to containers provided with spouts ofthe retractible type. It further relates to certain improvements inspouted containers and in retractible spouts therefor.

Containers provided with retractible spouts have been open to variousobjections, among which are the difficulty of pulling out the spoutwithout soiling the hands with the contents of the container, thelimitation of the spout to one operative position, the difficulty ofpreventing leakage between the spout and the container both when thespout is in operative position and when it is in intermediate positions,the necessity of avoiding resting the container on the spout duringpouring-due to the danger of recession of the spout and leakagethereabout, the provision of supporting means for the spout extendingwithin the spout and partially obstructing the passageway therethrough,and the difiiculty of keeping the portion of the container outwardly ofthe spout free from the contents of the container before the filledcontainer is first used.

We provide a container having a spout of the retractible type whichobviates the disadvantages of prior containers of this type. Leakagebetween the container and the spout is positively prevented when thespout is in its outward position and, in one form of structure, when thespout is in any position. The spout automatically moves at least partway to operative position when the container closure member is removed,thus avoiding fishing into the container for the spout with the fingers,and the spout may assume a plurality of adjusted operative positionswith its outlet at different distances from the container. When thespout is in its outward position it may be positively fastened withrespect to the container so that the container may be rested upon thespout during pouring. The passageway through the spout is unobstructedat all times. These and other details, objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent as the following description of certainpresent preferred embodiments thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing we have shown certain present preferredembodiments of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a partial verticalcross-sectional view through a container provided with a spout of theretractible type;

Figure 2 is a partial view similar to Figure 1 showing the spout in itsoutward position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken on the line I1IIIIof Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 2 :but of a modified form ofconstructionand with the spout in intermediate position.

Purely for purposes of illustration and explanation, the invention isshown as applied to a sheet metal container v2 having a rolling ring 3and provided with .the usual beaded rim '4. Connected with the containeris a cover 5 of the lug type having a .circumferentially extendingupwardly depressed portion 6 adapted to partially receive the rim 3, andsealing means I are interposed between the rim and the portion '6 of thecover in a manner known in the art. The sealing means l may, forexample, be of the type disclosed and claimed in the copendingapplication of Charles H. Rollason, Serial No. 676,131, filed June 16,1933. The cover .is held in place by a series of circumferentiallyspaced inwardly bent lugs .8, .as known in the art.

The cover 5 has a depressed portion 9, which is preferably eccentricwith respect thereto and adjacent the rim of the container. Seamed tothe cover at the portion 9 by a seam I0 is an upwardly extending neck llexternally threaded at 12. The neck H has an upwardly projecting sealingrim l3 and an .inwardly and downwardly extending portion M terminatingin an inwardly facing flange l5, shown in plan view in Figure 3. Theflange I5 has at intervals therealong substantially semi-circularopenings l6, as shown in Figure 3, and intermediate the openings [6 are.small upwardly pressed stop portions H, for a purpose to be presentlydescribed.

There is provided a spout I18 of the retractible type which mayconveniently be made of sheet metal and which has an upper rim l9 .and aflange 29 at its foot. A sealing gasket 2| is seated on the flange 2%.Above the gasket 2| the spout is provided with a series ofcircumferentially spaced outward projections 22 the spacing of which isthe same as the spacing of the openings I 6 in the flange H5. Theprojections 22 are of such .size as to pass through the openings 16 andtheir spacing relatively to the flange 20 and the gasket 2| is such thatwhen the spout is moved to its extreme outward position the projections22 will just pass through the openings 16 with the lower portions of theprojections bearing against the upper surface of the flange l5,whereupon the spout may be rotated about its own axis to move theprojections out of line with the openings. The spout may be turned untilthe respective projections strike the respective stop portions IT, asshown in Figure 3, in which the spout hasbeen moved to its extremeoutward position 'andthen rotated in the clockwise direction relativelyto the flange 15. The spout is thus positively fastened with respect tothe container, being in effect interlocked with the flange l5. A tightseal may be elfected between the gasket 2! and the flange 15, the gasketcovering the openings iii and preventing leakage between the spout andthe container. If desired, a slight annular downward projection 23 maybe provided intermediate the portion l4 and the flange 15, as shown inFigures 1 and 2, such projection serving for cooperation with the gasket2| instead of the flange i5 itself. As the surface of contact betweenthe projection 23 and the gasket is less than the surface of contactwhich would exist if the gasket were in direct contact with the underside of the flange i5, this enables the projection 23 to dig slightlyinto the gasket and effect a somewhat more perfect seal. In either eventthe spout is positioned with respect to the container with sufficientrigidity and firmness to enable the container to be rested on the spoutduring pouring without the danger of recession of the spout or leakagethereabout.

A coil spring 24 surrounds the spout l8 and is adapted to bear betweenthe upper rim IQ of the spout and the upper surface of the flange I5.The upper portion of the spring 22 may, if desired, enter the rim i9, asshown in Figure 2, in which case the rim is made hollow for reception ofthe upper portion of the spring. This assists in maintaining the springin place at all times and prevents rattling thereof.

The strength of the spring is preferably such that when the container isopened it will project the spout l3 upwardly at least part way. Thisavoids the necessity of fishing for the spout with the fingers andplaces the spout in such position that it may easily be grasped with thehand and pulled out to its extreme outward position and then rotated, asabove explained, before pouring. The spring is such that when the spoutis retracted fully inwardly it is compressed between the rim l9 and theflange l5, as shown in Figure 1, and preferably full compression of thespring brings the upper surface of the rim l9 into substantially thesame plane as the upper surface of the sealing rim IS.

A container closure member 25 is provided which may be of usualconstruction with a downwardly extending internally threaded annularflange 26 adapted to be screwed down on the neck H, as shown inFigure 1. The closure member is provided with gasket means 21 which maycomprise a cork gasket faced with tin foil, as shown in Figure 1.Connected with the closure member 25 by rivets 28 is a bar 29 adaptedfor cooperation with means for tightly screwing down the closure member;The gasket 2? of the closure member cooperates with the sealing rim 13to seal the container and also with the rim IQ of the spout to seal thespout. If the spring 24 is of such dimensions that application of thecontainer closure member 25 brings about substantial pressure betweenthe gasket 21 and the rim l9 this effectively seals the spout as well asthe container, the closure member 25 serving in this case as a commonsealing means.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, this figure shows amodified construction in which the parts corresponding to the parts ofthe form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 are designated by the samereference numerals but with primes afiixed. In this modification theflange I5 is solid and provided with openings and stop portions similarto the openings l6 and stop portions H. An annular space is providedwhich is bounded at the top by the flange l5 and at the bottom by theextra piece of metal 30, and there is received within such portion afelt sealing means or wiper 32.

the spout is moved outwardly the contents of the container are wiped offof its outer surface so that such surface will be comparatively cleanand suitable for handling in turning the spout. In this constructionsomewhat more friction is created between the container and the spoutthan in the construction of Figures 1, 2 and 3 so that the spring 24 ispreferably made stronger. It will be understood that the strength of thespring may easily be determined in accordance with the requirements ineach particular case.

When the spout I8 is moved to its outward position it is adapted to beinterlocked with the flange 3i similarly to the interlocking of. thespout I8 with the flange H5 in the form of Figures 1, 2 and 3, as aboveexplained.

In Figure 4 there is shown a friction cap 33 which is fitted within thetop of -thespout [8 to initially seal the spout so as to prevent thecontents of the container from passing through the spout before thecontainer is used. This is undesirable as the portion of the containeroutwardly of the spout and within the container closure member becomescovered with the contents of the container. When the friction cap 33 isused it is not possible for the contents of the container to pass eitheraround or through the spout before the container is first opened so thatthe spout and the portion of the container thereabove will be clean andeasy to handle.

There is provided means 34 for positively urging the wiping means 32into contact with the spout. The means 34 may be of any suitableresilient material, such as a heavy rubber band or ring or a spring. Itis found that without the use of the means 34 the wiping means sometimesloses its tight contact with the spout, permitting some seepagetherebetween. This is substantially eliminated by the provision of themeans 34.

While we have shown and described certain present preferred embodimentsof the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the same is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scopeof the following claims.

We claim:

1. A container having a spout of the retractible type, wiping meansabout said spout, and means for positively urging said wiping means intocontact with the spout.

This felt wiper engages the outer surface ofthe spout l8 at all timesand insures that when 70 2. A container having a spout of the retracti-3. A container having a spout of the retractible type having anoutturned rim at its outer extremity and spring means for urging thespout to operative position, said. spring means engaging '5 said rim andbeing maintained. in place thereby.

4. A container having a spout of the retractible type having a hollowrim at its outer extremity and. spring means for urging the spout tooperative position, said spring means being engaged within said. hollowrim.

GUY O. CONNER. HOWARD W. KARGES.

